Fluoroscopic shutter control mechanism



Patented Mar. 28, 1950 FLUOROSCOPIC SHUTTER CONTROL MECHANISM Hanson Blatz, Rochester, and Russell R. Roberts, Irondequoit, N. Y., assignors to Ritter Company, Inc., Rochester, N. Y., a corporation of Dela- Ware Application November 14, 1946, Serial No. 709,860

This invention relates to X-ray apparatus and, more particularly, to mechanism for variably opening the transversely arranged pairs of blades of the fluoroscopic shutters commonly employed with such apparatus, one object of the invention being to provide an improvedmechanism of the above character having a more simple, practical and convenient construction.

Another object is to provide such a control mechanism having a single, or common, operating member adapted to be moved in different directions for more quickly and conveniently adjusting both pairs of shutter blades.

A further object is to supply a more simple and practical mechanism of the nature indicated, comprising relatively few parts, of simple construction, adapted to be manufactured and applied to known X-ray apparatus at a relatively low cost.

To these and other ends the invention resides in certain improvements and combinations of parts, all as will be hereinafter more fully described, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the end of the specification.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a top plan view of a mechanism embodying the present invention, partly in section and partly broken away;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the handle and associated parts shown in Fig. l, and

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the shutter mechanism, as viewed from the left in Fig. l.

In the embodiment herein disclosed by way of illustration, the invention is applied to the operation of a known type of iluoroscopic shutter for X-ray apparatus, comprising a substantially rectangular hollow frame 5 formed with horizontally extending, upper and lower guideways, the lower of which is shown at 6. The upper of these guideways and the upper half of frame 5 are omitted from Fig. 3 to simplify the drawing. A pair of supporting'frames 'l and 8 are horizontally slidable on these guideways, toward and from each other, and support a pair of cooperating shutter blades 9 and I0, respectively, made of sheets or" material, such as lead, opaque to X- rays, for adjusting the horizontal width of the shutter opening II.

Frame 5 is formed also with a pair of spaced vertical guideways, as I2 and I3, on which a similar pair of supporting frames are slidably mounted, one of which is shown at Iii, provided with a similar opaque shutter blade I5. The opposite and cooperating frame and blade (not shown) have the same construction and sliding s claims. (c1. 25o-4105) zio s '2 movement on the guideways I2 and I3 and these frames and blades are reciprocable vertically toward and from each other, to control the vertical width of the shutter opening II. These horizontally and vertically moving pairs of blades are movable independently of each other, or simultaneously, as desired, to control the shape and the size of the shutter opening or aperture II, as well understood in the art.

The means for moving the blades 9 and IIl `horizontally comprise, preferably, a reach rod I6 having one end pivotally connected at Il with one arm I 8 of a bellcrank lever, indicated generally at I9, pivoted at 20 on the frame 5. The other arm 2| of the lever is connected at 22, by a pin and slot connection, with one arm 23 of a bellcrank lever indicated generally at 24 and pivoted at 25 on the frame 5. The other arm 28 of this lever is pivoted at 2l to a link 28 pivoted at 29 to the frame 8 of the shutter blade I0. Rod IS is also pivotally connected, behind the pivot Il, with a link 30 which is pivotally connected at 3| with the frame 'I of the blade 9. It will be evident from this construction that as reach rod I6 is reciprocated, it oscllates the bellcranks I9 and 24 and reciprocates the blades 9 and I0 simultaneously toward and from each other to control the horizontal width of the shutter aperture.

The means for operating the vertically movable blades comprises, preferably, a reach rod 32 which is pivotally connected-at 33 with one arm 33a of a belcrank lever indicated generally at 34. This lever is pivoted at 35 on the frame 5 and its other arm 36 is pivoted at 3'! to a link 3B having its other end pivoted to frame I 4 of the lower shutter blade I5, behind the pivot 22. The outer end of the arm 33a of the lever 34 is pivotally connected, behind the pivot 3 I, with one arm of a bellcrank lever 39 which is pivoted at its center Aon the frame `5 with its other arm pivotally connected at 39EL to a link, 39h, similar to the link 38 and pivotally connected to the upper shutter blade frame, these parts for actuating the upper blade being similar in construction to the parts described in connection with the lower blade frame and similarly connected. It is evident from this arrangement that reciprocation of reach rod 32 serves to oscillate both bellcranks 34 and 39 and simultaneously reciprocate the lower blade I5 and its corresponding upper blade toward and from each other, to control the height ofthe shutter aperture.

The mechanism for reciprocating the reach rod I6 comprises, preferably, a stationary support or bracket, 40, having spaced arms 4I and 42 formed with alined shaft bearings 43 and 44, respectively. Bearing 43 forms one support for a rock shaft 45 of relatively small diameter which extends to the left in Fig. 2 beyond the bearing and has pinned thereto a collar 4 6 having an integral arm 41 which has pivoted thereto at 48 a lever 49 provided on one side of the pivot with an operating handle 50. A collar 45a, pinned .to shaft 45 on the opposite side of the bearing, holds the shaft against endvvise movement. The other end 5l of the lever has fixed thereto a short stud 52, Fig. l, formed at its end with a ball 53 received in a socket formed between the rounded end 54 of a tubular casing 55 and the end 56 ,of a connecting rod 51 which is threaded into the casing, as shown, thus providing a' ball and socket or universal joint between the lever 4S and the con-- necting rod 51.

The other end of rod E51 is similarly threaded into a casing 5B to vform with the end of the latter a socket for the reception of a ball 59 on the end of a stud 6l! having its other end fixed to a shoulder 5I on the hub of a bevel gear 62 journaled as at 63 for oscillating movement in the bracket support 45. Gear 62 meshes with a bevel gear E4 having a hub 65 pinned on .one end of a tubular shaft 66 surrounding shaft .45 and mounted for rocking movement thereon and in the support bearing 44, tubular shaft 6E thus providing a second bearing for the shaft 45. The gear hub 65 on one side of the bearing and a collar 51 pinned to shaft B5 on the other side of the bearing, serve to hold the shaft 6B against end wise movement.

It Will be evident from the above construction that by pivotally oscillating lever 49 about its pivotal connection With arm 41, by oscillating handle 50 in one plane, rod 51 is reciprocated longitudinally to rock gear 6 2 on the support Vand thereby rock gear B4 of the tubular shaft G6. Shaft 6B has xed thereon at its other end a hub 558 carrying an arm 59 pivoted at 10 between the branches of the bifurcated other .end of the reach rod l5, so that oscillation of the shaft by handle 5D serves to reciprocate the reach rod to operate the horizontally moving pair of shutter blades.

It is evident also that handle 5l! may be oscillated in a transverse plane to rock the inner shaft 4 5 to which it is pinned at 48. YShaft 45 is ex.- tended beyond the end of the tubular shaft 66, as at 1 I for the reception .of 4a hub 12 fixed thereon and carrying an arm 13 pivoted at 14 between the branches of the bifurcated other end of the reach rod 32, so that the oscillation of the inner shaft 45 by handle 50 serves to reciprocate the rod 32 and operate the pair of vertically moving shutter blades.

Handle 56 may thus be oscillated in either one of relatively transverse planes to control either of the pairs of shutters independently of the other pair. Or, the handle may be oscillated simultaneously in both planes to simultaneously control both pairs of blades, either uniformly or differentially, to adjust the shutter aperture to any ,desired size or Vshape within the limits of the shutter mechanism. A single handle 50 is thus provided capable of universal movement to adjust either pair of blades independently, or both together simultaneously.

Such X-ray apparatus is 4frequently operated under conditions of poor illumination and with the chief attention of the operator directed to other parts of the mechanism and the object to be viewed or photographed, and the single control handle of the present invention eliminates the confusion and inconvenience under such unfavorable conditions of shifting the hand from one to another of several handles in trying to find and operate the proper handle for effecting a desired shutter adjustment.

It will thus be seen that the invention accomplishes its objects and While it has been herein disclosed by reference to the details of a preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that such disclosure is intended in an illustrative, rather than a limiting sense, as it is contemplated that various modifications in the construction and arrangement o f the parts Will readily occur to those skilled in the art, Within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In X-ray apparatus, a control mechanism for a set of adjustable fluoroscopic shutter blades 4having one pair of .blades movable relatively to one another in vone direction but restrained against relative movement in a transverse direction and another pair of blades movable relative- Aly to one another in a different direction but restrained against movement transversely to said vdifferent direction, said mechanism comprising a pair of shafts mounted for rotary movement and connected with said pairs of blades, respectively, ,and a single control member common to said shafts and rotatable in one direction to rotate one `of said shafts for moving said one pair of blades only and in a diiferent direction for rotating the other of said shafts for moving said other pair of blades alone and independently of the first mentioned pair .0f blades.

2. In X-ray apparatus, a control mechanism for a set of adjustable fluoroscopic shutter blades having one pair of blades movable relatively to one another in opposite directions parallel with one straight line and another pair of blades movn able relatively to one another in opposite directions parallel vvith another straight line, said mechanism comprising a pair of concentric shafts mounted for relative rotary movement and connected with said pairs of blades, respectively, of said set, a single ycontrol member common to said shafts, and means by Which'said member is mounted for universal pivotal rocking movement for operating said pairs of blades either independently or simultaneously with each other.

3. In X-ray apparatus, a control mechanism for a set of adjustable lluoroscopic shutter blades having one pair of blades movable toward and from each other in one direction along a straight line and another pair of blades movable toward and from each other in a diierent direction along a different straight line, said mechanism comprising a pair of shafts mounted for rotary movement and connected with said pairs of blades, respectively, an arm on each shaft, a link pivotally connected With each arm for movement longitudinally thereby and adapted for connection with one of said pairs of blades, a single control member common to said shafts and movable in different directions, for operating either of said pairs of blades independently of the other thereof when said member is moved in one direction and for operating both of said pairs simultaneously when said member is moved in diiferent directions simultaneously.

4. In X-ray apparatus, a control mechanism for a set of adjustable fluoroscopic shutter blades having one pair of blades movable toward and from each other in one direction along one straight line and another pair of blades movable toward and from each other in a diierent direction along a dii-ferent straight line, said mechanism comprising a pair of concentric shafts each having a rotary rocking movement and each connected to the blades of one of said pairs, and a single control member connected with both of said shafts and movable about intersecting axes for rotating both of said shafts and operating all of said blades simultaneously.

5. In X-ray apparatus, a control mechanism for a set of adjustable luoroscopic shutter blades having one pair of blades movable toward and from each other in one direction along one straight line and another pair of blades movable toward and from each other in a different single direction along a different single straight line, said mechanism comprising a pair 'of shafts each having a rotary rocking movement and each connected to the blades of one of said pairs, a unitary handle mounted for pivotal movement in each of intersecting planes, said handle being directly connected with one of said shafts, and having link means connected with the other shaft, to effect rotary movements of both of said shafts by movement of said handle in each of said planes.

6. In X-ray apparatus, a control mechanism for a set of adjustable fluoroscopic shutter blades having one pair of blades movable toward and CII from each other in one direction along one straight line and another pair of blades movable toward and from each other in a different direction along a different straight line, said mechanism comprising a pair of concentric shafts each having a rotary movement and each connected to the blades of one of said pairs, a common handle pivotally mounted on one shaft, gearing for rotating said other shaft, and link means connecting said handle and gearing for rotating both of said shafts by diierent pivotal movements of said common handle.

I-IANSON BLATZ.

RUSSELL R. ROBERTS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the iile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

